One game after an off day, Maicer Izturis remained on the bench Friday as Kevin Frandsen played third base.

The plan is for Izturis to help the Angels out at the top of the order, but Manager Mike Scioscia doesn’t want to rush things with his oft-injured utility infielder.

“Once Maicer gets into a flow of getting back in there and playing, there’s no reason why he won’t be able to play, four, five, six days a week,” Scioscia said. “When a guy is playing five days a week, that’s a pretty full season. We can work our way into that.”

Izturis just came off the disabled list Tuesday, missing time because of shoulder inflammation. In recent seasons it’s been Izturis’ hamstrings that have given him trouble.

Scioscia said Izturis did not have a setback with his injured shoulder. With Friday’s game at night and today’s game an afternoon contest, Scioscia knew he was only going to play Izturis in one of those games. He chose to give him a rest Friday night.

Just because Izturis is being eased into things now doesn’t mean Scioscia is going to continue to play it cautious.

“(He’s) going to be important for us,” Scioscia said. “If he can play more, great. But at some point we’ll take the wraps off to see how he feels and just let him go.”

On track

Brandon Wood doesn’t appear to be too bothered by the hip flexor strain that landed him on the disabled list retroactive to May 24. Wood worked out Friday and will go through the paces with the team the rest of this weekend.

Scioscia said that Wood could be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment as early as next week. The plan is for him to face Triple-A pitching.

Wood isn’t eligible to come off the disabled list until June 7, which would give him nearly a full week with Triple-A Salt Lake to work on his swing. Wood was batting .156 (19-for-122) when he went on the DL.

Familiar faces

Former Angels Chone Figgins and Casey Kotchman received warm welcomes Friday in their return with the Mariners. Figgins even got a standing ovation from a few fans, with a few boos mixed in as well.

It was Figgins’ first game in Anaheim since signing a four-year, $36 million deal with the Mariners this offseason. He is off to a slow start batting .194 out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup, but said he feels close to turning things around.

“Usually when I’ve struggled it’s been from the right side, but it’s been the exact opposite this year,” Figgins said.

The switch hitter entered Friday’s game with exactly 16 hits from each side of the plate. But he’s had 55 at bats as a left-handed hitter (.291 average) and 110 as a right-handed hitter (.145).